The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger.
Heat exchangers are components that constitute a refrigeration cycle. Also, heat exchangers are configured to allow a refrigerant to flow therein. Heat exchangers may cool or heat air through heat exchange with the air. Such a heat exchanger may be used in a freezing device for an air conditioner, a refrigerator, or the like. Here, the heat exchanger may serve as a condenser or an evaporator according to whether a refrigerator is condensed or evaporated by the heat exchanger.
In detail, the heat exchanger includes a tube through which the refrigerant flows and a fin that is coupled to the tube to increase an area between the refrigerant within the tube and air, i.e., a heat exchange area. A plurality of through holes may be defined in the fin so that the tube is inserted into the through holes.
The fin may be provided in plurality. The plurality of fins may be stacked along an extending direction of the tube. A predetermined space may be defined between the stacked fins. Thus, air may be heat-exchanged with the refrigerant of the tube while flowing into the predetermined space.
A structure for increasing the heat exchange area, i.e., a louver may be provided on the fin. The louver may be formed by cutting and bending a portion of the fin. The louver may be provided on a plurality of areas of the entire surface area of the fin except for the through hole. A distance (stacked distance) between the stacked fins may decrease by the louver.
In the heat exchanger according to the related art, when the heat exchanger is used as the evaporator in the outside having a low temperature, condensed water may be frozen and thus implanted to a surface of the fin. Particularly, in the case where the louver is provided on the fin, the space between the fins may be blocked by frost. That is, since a passage through which air flows is blocked, heat exchange efficiency may be deteriorated. Also, a time required for defrosting of the heat exchanger may increase.
Particularly, when the heat exchanger is used in an air conditioner, since a heating operation of the air conditioner is restricted while a defrosting process of the air conditioner is performed, heating performance of the air conditioner may be deteriorated.